San Francisco has recently approved legislation that will change the city building code to allow for “micro-unit apartments” that includes only 220 square feet of living space. These spaces aim at providing affordable options for singles to live in densely populated urban areas without having to live in the outskirts of the city. Although more of a craze in NY, San Francisco has actually surpassed New York as the most expensive rental market in the country. More information after the break.

The city already allows for construction of 290-square-foot micro-units. But Supervisor Scott Wiener backed the reduced minimum size in hopes that the apartments would rent for $1,200 to $1,500 a month, a steal compared with San Francisco’s current average studio rents of $2,000.

“To confront San Francisco’s rising housing affordability crisis, we must be creative and flexible,” Wiener said in a statement after the 10-1 vote. “Allowing the construction of these units is one tool to alleviate the pressure that is making vacancies scarce and driving rental prices out of the reach of many who wish to live here.”

The push to reduce the minimum-allowable size was criticized by affordable housing and tenants’ rights advocates, who said the “shoe box apartments” would do nothing to ease the strain on families and would push the city further down the road as a playground for young singles.